High rents, shifting of workers from Rolla take toll on business

LIKE several other economic activities which were affected by the amnesty and host of other factors including rising rents, several shops lined up in the back lanes of Rolla could not remain insulated from these developments.

Several of them are wearing comparatively a deserted look with number of customers dwindling significantly as a major chunk of their customers has returned to their home countries by availing the opportunity provided under amnesty.

Abbas, who has a shop in Rolla, selling suitcases and blankets for the last 20 years, said that the sales have come down drastically after the amnesty.

He said that remaining workers from Rolla have been shifted to the industrial areas and other localities, thus worsening the situation for the shop-keepers.

Barring large shops, small shops in Rolla have witnessed a drastic decline in number of their customers, he stated.

He said that in absence of a proper and also a cheap public transport facility, workers living in the industrial areas or other far flung places, find it difficult to come to Rolla for shopping.

To add to their woes, the number of shops in Rolla has increased considerably thus not only increasing the competition but also adversely affecting their profit margin, he added.

"It is really a tough situation. Our expenses are increasing, while the income stays static," he rued.

Now, we are buying products at a higher wholesale price but we could not pass on the entire burden to the customers for keeping our market intact, he elaborated.

"I am paying Dhs80000 as rent for this space but unfortunately my customers are not fully convinced about our problems and do not buy any product without a very intense bargaining," he explained his problem.

He said that expenses on various government formalities are also on rise adding that the municipality authorities now do not allow them to display products outside the shops.

It is really very regrettable as commodities do not sell in Rolla if they are not "properly displayed," he remarked.

Another shopkeeper selling electronic items said that workers used to buy transistors in good numbers but his business has suffered a loss after the amnesty and the shifting of workers to other places.

A garment shop owner has the same problem, stating that his business has not suffered like this during the last 15 years.

"I do not know how to deal with the situation," he remarked.

Similarly, Mehmood who runs a small cafeteria in Rolla has suffered business losses by at least 50 per cent.

"I sacked my two employees to cut the costs of running my shop," he added.

"I am paying Dhs25000 as rent and anyhow surviving the onslaught of various hues," he remarked.

He said that he is now depending more on the employees of different shops in the neighbourhood, who visit his shop for tea, snacks and other food stuffs.

Even tailoring shops have suffered losses following the amnesty and shifting of workers from Rolla to other localities.

"It is true that amnesty has affected the tailoring business," deplored Damu K. who has a small shop.

Owner of a hardware shop, Hussain said that his business has not witnessed a very major impact but it could not be denied that the business has suffered marginally.

"Workers used to purchase hand tools including hammers for different domestic chores," he added.